The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-21
WOOD FOR FUEL.

SohouL WOOu iOE luel. feLrOloum ID
abundant and cheap. and both the
crude and the refined oil are extensively
used for feeding fires. Naphtha, which
Is derived from petroleum, is also en-
ployed for using in stoves employed for
cooking food and generating heat On
many farms q sufficient amount of corn
cobs is produced for supplying the kitch-
en- fire. Sunflowers are easily raised,
and their stalks and heads make excel
lent fuel We know little of the cost Of
keeping warm during cold weather that
must be met by the people of other coun-
tries. Few Of our people are obliged to
practice much economy in the use of
fuel. They are able TO warm all the
rooms in their houses instead Of q few,
rs is the case IN many parts Of Europe.
Which is the best fuel to use depends
on circumstances. Biluminous coal is
abu 'dant and cheap in all the western
and in most Of the southern states. Il
is easily ignited and produces large
amount OF heat Experiment has dem
Onstraied that it is the cheapest fuel for
generating steam in locomotives and
stationary engines. 1t Is in many re-
spects an economical fuel for use in
farm-houses. but there are very great
objections TO it IL is dirty to handle.
Burned in nm open sratr. il is likely to
throw oil much smoke which passes up
the chimney uncpnsumed During I'M
favorable weather nur:h roal smoke
passes from au open ti'a into the room.
IL vitiatrS the air that is taken into the
lungs and soils everything it comes in
contact with. IL dis:oiOrs books. wall
paper. and the ceilin - of rooms. 1t
penetrates closets and drawers and soils
their content. 1t deposits soot and tar
in chimn''ys and renders them danger
Gus. IL is difficult to burn common
biluminous al in cooking or heating
stove and not suffer from the annoyance
of smoke AMI vile gases. The use of
the frying kettle instead of the gridIron
in cooking meats
Anthracite coal is open TO few obiec-
tons. Burned in an open CRATE or
properly constructed stove it produces q
steady heat and throws off no smoke
A lire of hard coal is somewhat hard to
kindle. but it will keep" long time.
With properly cOnSii Icled stove there
is no Necessity for having the fire go
out or becoming low for period of
weeks or even months. II il cleanly TO
handle. does not attract moisture. and
produces but Il small amount of ash. Ii
is the favoritc fuel for domestic purposes
in large towns and cities for many rea-
sons. 1t is easily stored, requires no
preparations before it is used. and its
H.
house or ANYTHING it contains. How
ever excellent wood may be as fuel its
use will no longer be general in large
towns. A large space is required for
STORM" it, and in city space. even in
the open air. is expensive. As it is
bulky, it is costly TO transport in cars
and boats. Yard or dock room for it is
expensive. The cost of saving and
splitting wood in city Is large. If the
work is done in woodward customers
have no assurance tn they get the
amount they pay for. As rule they
have no room on their own premises for
preparing cordwood for the fireplace or
stove.
Few western farmers. however, can
use anthracite coal for cooking purposes
or for heating their dwellings,. The cost
of transporting it is too great They
must accordingly choose between btu
minous coal and wood. II there are no
trees on their own land or in the neigh
borhood whers they live. they are COM
PEELED to use soft coal till trees can be
raised. Few will question the advisa-
bllity Of raising supply Of wood at the
earliest period possible. A good wood
lot serves TO make farmer independent
in the matter of fuel. 1t saves large
sum every year. 1t adds to the beauty
and comfort of the farm. 1t attracts
songbirds and breaks the force of the
winds. 1t furnishes pleasant retreat
during the summer. A farmer with a
wood lot of his own can have a supply
of the best fuel without the expenditure
of money. He can chop wood at times
when he has no profitable employment.
He can haul 1t to the house when there
is nothing for his teams to do. He can
prepare it for the stove and fireplace
during the winter, or at other times
when he can not work in the fields. A
good wood lot furnishes security against
anxiety when roads are impossible and
the supply Of coal at the nearest town
IS exhausted. 1t saves trouble, care,
and money. 1t permits ease, content
ment and comfort.
Well-prepared seasoned wood is the
best fuel for cooking purposes during
warm weather when it is not desirable
to have the house made warm. 1t is
easily kindled. and the fire it makes
will become extinguished soon after the
meal is prepared. With common, air
tight stoves, which are inexpensive,
sleeping-rooms may be kept comforta-
BILE during the winter with very little
trouble. Quite large blocks of wood
can be burned in them. BY closing the
draft fire can be kept in one of these
stoves over night without trouble and
with very little expense. Sitting and
livingrooms can be heated in a very
satisfactory manner by the use OF these
stoves. They produce no dirt or smoke
and do not vitiate the air. They are
not cheerful, but the common soft coal
stove is not. II farmer raises his own
wood he can afford to have at least one
open fire in his house during the winter
season. This will insure q cheerful
room. Large logs, knots, and even por-
tons of stumps can be burned in an
open Fireplace. An open wood fire is
luxury which any farmer can enjoy if
he takes the trouble to plant trees.
White wood, silver-leaved poplars, and
willow trees will grow from cuttings
and will furnish fuel in few years
from the time they are stuck into the
soil.-thicGgO Times.
WATER FOR STOCK IN WINTER.